1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a testing apparatus which tests products having a communicating function, a user interface function, and a printing function, a method of controlling the testing apparatus, and a program for implementing the method. In particular, the present invention relates to a testing apparatus which has a function of interrupting a test and a function of resuming a test after interruption, a method of controlling the testing apparatus, and a program for implementing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a testing apparatus which tests a product (an apparatus to be tested) having a communicating function, a user interface function, and a printing function, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a multi-function apparatus, has been implemented by a computer, which carries out an automated test on the apparatus to be tested, and records information on the result of the test (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H06-214817, for example).
The testing apparatus implemented by the computer as above is capable of transmitting test data to the apparatus to be tested which is connected thereto via a communication cable such as a USB cable, but is not capable of making a determination as to the acceptability of the apparatus to be tested by checking the compatibility of a user interface of the apparatus to be tested with the test data and/or a printout of the test data output from the apparatus to be tested, and therefore, the tester has to manually make a determination as to the acceptability of the apparatus to be tested. For this reason, it takes a long time to complete a test on all testing items, and also, during the test, the tester is tied to the testing apparatus so as to make a determination as to the acceptability of the apparatus to be tested. The period of time for which the tester is tied to the apparatus to be tested is limited, and hence a testing apparatus has been proposed which has a function of enabling the tester to interrupt a test and a function of enabling the tester to resume a test after interruption.
However, in the testing apparatus which has the test interrupting function and the test resuming function as above, when the tester resumes a test after interruption, the apparatus to be tested should be the one for which the test has been interrupted, but if one tester carries out a test on a plurality of apparatuses to be tested, there may be the case where he/she cannot recognize which apparatus has been tested at the time of interruption when resuming the test. In this case, there is a possibility that test result information which is comprised of information indicative of test results on one apparatus to be tested on testing items executed before interruption, and information indicative of test results on another apparatus to be tested on testing items executed after resumption is recorded despite the tester's intent, and therefore, the reliability of test result information which is recorded cannot be ensured.
Also, if one apparatus to be tested cannot pass a test on a certain testing item among a plurality of testing items, there is a possibility that the tester intentionally causes another apparatus to be tested to pass the test on the testing item, and therefore, the security of testing cannot be ensured. For this reason, the testing apparatus is required to identify an apparatus to be tested when resuming a test.